Allah's messenger (slw) was asked about a woman who used to spend all her time in worship and remembrance of Allah.
She would perform voluntary forms of worship. Some companions asked the prophet (slw) about her fate.
Rasulullah (slw) asked the companions how she treated her neighbors. They replied she did not treat them well and they were not happy with her. Rasulullah (slw) said the woman would go to hell.
And Muhammad (slw) was asked about a woman who would only offer obligatory prayers, who perform none of the voluntary worship but who was kind to her neighbors and other people. Rasulullah (slw) said that she would go to paradise.
We need to fulfill the rights of all the creatures of Allah. Because if any wrong happened to any of His creature, He would not forgive them unless the one affected forgave. Without forgiveness, we would be revenged on the day of judgement.
Rasulullah (slw) said certainly everyone will get his rights on the day of judgement,
حتى يقاد للشاة الجلحاء من الشاة القرناء
If a wrong done for an animal by another animal, it would be revenged. What about a wrong done by a human to an animal?
According to the Hadith in Bukhara and Muslim, Allah's messenger (slw) said about a woman in son of Israel who was punished because of a cat. He said, لا هي أطعمتها، ولا سقتها إذ حبستها
She didn't feed it, didn’t give it water, prisoned it ولا هي تركتها تأكل من خشاش الأرض and she didn't send it out for eating until it died. Rasulullah (slw) said, فدخلت فيها النار she entered hell because of her behavior to the cat. She didn't fulfill her duty to the cat.
And reported in the بخاري والمسلم, Abu هُريرة (rla) narrates Rasulullah (slw) said, an adulterer a woman amongst son of Israel saw a dog skirting around a well, it's going to die because of thirst. فنزعت موقها فسقته فغفر لها به she removed her footwear, put it into the well and gave water to the dog. She was an adulterer but Allah forgave her because of her treatment to the dog.
That is why Muhammad (slw) said,
الخلق كلهم عيال الله
All the creatures are family of Allah which means all those Allah's creatures and He is the owner of them. Then Rasulullah (slw) said, فأحب الخلق الى الله من أحسن الى عياله So Allah (swt) loves most those who are kind to His creatures, those who treat His creatures well. Even impure dogs are creatures of Allah (swt). So if we have to be kind impure animals, we have to be kind to humans who are excellent creature in all creations.
Surah l-isrā, verse 70, Allah says,
وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ وَحَمَلْنَاهُمْ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَرَزَقْنَاهُمْ مِنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ
We have honored the sons of Adam; provided them with transport on land and sea; given them for sustenance things from good and pure;
وَفَضَّلْنَاهُمْ عَلَىٰ كَثِيرٍ مِمَّنْ خَلَقْنَا تَفْضِيلًا
and we have made them excellent from amongst those who we have created them as great part. It means Allah has created some creatures greatest among all the creatures. Amongst greatest creatures humans are honored, humans are made excellent. Whether he is a Muslim or non Muslim, believer or disbeliever, Jew or Christian and whatever else.
We have to fulfill their rights, be kind, treat them with good behavior. Otherwise, we will be asked about them on the day of judgement. There is a Hadith Reported in Muslim, Abu hrirah (rla) narrates Allah's messenger asked his companions أَتَدْرُونَ مَا الْمُفْلِسُ
